Enjoyment Of Silver Coins But...

I collect World coins, up until about 1950, when silver was trending to be no longer issued for general circulation.

Fakes ARE around in the field I collect in, but they are far and few between, the most commonly occurring being fakes of U.S. and U.K. coins, and rarer European crowns.

The Chinese also love to fake their own silver coins.

I don't buy coins via ebay. I like to examine a potentially valuable coin 'in hand' first, before making a decision to buy.
It is safer to buy lesser valued coins via ebay.

I collect ancient coins, as trout1105 knows.
I am very interested in the faking of ancient coins.
Part of my own self education in the detection of fakes is to build up an extensive reference collection of fake coins.
I have about 100 fake ancient coins, some easily spotted, and some very deceptive ones.

My policy is if I have any doubt at all about the authenticity of a coin, I run FAST.
Unfortunately, you need a coin 'in hand' for close examination.
For this reason, I don't buy expensive coins via ebay, unless I already personally know who is selling them.

trout1105 makes a very good point. Modern coins can be found 'doctored' on some way or other.
It would be wise to build up a reference collection of deliberately doctored coins as well.
To this end, the best way of doing this is to buy a job lot of 'dud' coins from public auction.
That is how I have acquired the majority of my 'black' collection.

Reliable book references on the manufacture and detection of fake coins is also a very valuable asset, as well as access to good testing equipment. An patient and extensive search of the 'net will help in your education, however, experience is the MOST valuable asset hou can have in this regard.
That is why a doubtful coin should be taken to an expert in his field.

I have even traded genuine coins for fakes with one of Australia's most reputable dealers.
In this sort of sitution mutual trust is needed. We have known each other for nearly 40 years.

to learn to spot counterfeits you just have to handle a lot of silver. it will begin to just feel and look wrong to you.

On investing in a neodymium magnet

To catch off metal fakes. While some can be found with refrigerator magnet only about 1/2 of the ones we handle can be found with those.(or 15lb.retriever )
Not all fakes will fail. Just ones with a Ferromagnetic, or Para-magnetic metal alloy at a high % in them will stick.

You can buy an array from us or build your own array with 9 or 16 n52 (5mm or 10mm )cubes in it.
Arranged in a checkerboard pattern and backed (epoxied)to a mild steel plate. I like to use a Chinese coin (for the irony )
2 tests of the magnets power.
A completed array will pick up a silver War Nickel ( 9% manganese) or US paper money (magnetic ink)
If your magnet can not do this it is not powerful enough to catch some magnetic fakes. Not all off metal fakes are magnetic however, and a different class of instrument is required like XRF, specific gravity, or TFDwall.